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Overview

Bahloo, the moon, plays at night with three creatures he calls dogs. Earth people identify them as death adder, black snake and tiger snake, fearing bites that have killed people and dogs. He asks a group crossing a creek to carry the companions across, but they refuse.

He demonstrates two possible human fates with floating bark and a sinking stone: obeying would permit renewed life, while refusal means permanent death. He carries the black and tiger snakes around his arms and the adder at his shoulder and neck. After the refusal he withdraws the promised renewal. The people thereafter kill lone snakes, but Bahloo sends more as reminders. The dog terminology belongs to this celestial relationship, not a composite canine anatomy.

Snake companions called dogsCreek-crossing requestBark and stone mortality contrast
01

Origins & earliest records

K. Langloh Parker, Australian Legendary Tales (London: David Nutt, 1896), Bahloo the Moon, and the Daens, pp. 8–10.

02

Records & interpretation

Complete selected English retelling directly read.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    Bahloo the Moon, and the Daens, pp. 8–10

    K. Langloh Parker, collector and English reteller; individual narrator unassigned · 1896

    Complete selected tale inspected.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Primary collected textParker 1896: Bahloo the Moon, and the DaensResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

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